Fixture holding means



July 2 1952 H. M. KNOCH FIXTURE HOLDING MEANS Filed March 15, 1950 ZNVENTOR. Harold M; Knock M j: A!

ATT'O RN EYS Patented July 22, 1952 OFFICE FIXTURE HOLDING S.

Harold M. Knoch, Ann Arbor, Mich, assignor to Gerity-Michigan Corporation, Adrian, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application March 15, 1950, Serial No. 149,665

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to fixture-holding means wherein the fixture, which may comprise a dished holder for a toilet roll, a drinking glass, or the like, is projected into a wall opening with a plate-like portion in external marginal engagement therewith and is provided with means for internal engagement with the wall to retain the fixture in said position in the opening. The present invention is primarily intended for use in connection with old buildings or in those where the positioning of a wall fixture is determined after the completion of the wall, so that it is necessary to cut a hole in the wall to receive the fixture.

The object of the present invention is the provision of novel, simple and eificient means to be attached to a fixture and insertable into a wall opening and internally engageable with the wall marginally of the opening to securely hold the fixture in set position therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, with parts broken away, of a fixture set in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a clamping yoke, and Fig. 5 illustrates the manner of inserting the clamping yoke within a wall opening.

Referring to the drawings, I designates the surface portion of a room wall, 2 the customary space between the studs at the inner or rear side of the lath and plaster or tile, and 3 a hole cut in said surface portion to permit a dished fixture 4 to be mounted therein. This fixture may be of a character to hold a roll of toilet paper, or it may be suitable for use as a soap holder or as a supporting shelf or holder for a glass or other object as commonly used in lavatories, bathrooms, kitchens and the like. Such a fixture has a marginal edge flange 5 for seating against the outer surface of the wall part I marginally of the opening 3 to limit the extent of projection of the dished plate into the opening and to provide an attractive border for the fixture over the wall opening. It is not desirable to attach the plate to the wall by screws or the like applied through this flange, both for the reason of unsightliness and for the fact that the screws would engage the wall so close to the opening that they would not be likely to hold. In view of this, it is important to provide internal attaching means for the plate.

It is the present practice to fill the space in the rear of the opening between the studding with crumpled paper and then to insert a mass of quick setting plaster, forcing it into and around the mass of paper. The fixture is provided with projecting wings on its rear surface. By forcing the fixture into place while the plaster is still in a plastic condition, some of the plaster will engage the front of the projecting wings. Thus, when the plaster is hard the fixture is prevented from removal by the shearing strength of the plaster.

The attaching means, in the present instance, comprises a mechanical device which can be quickly and easily set without the use of plaster or the like, and which results in a much more positive setting of the fixture. In the preferred form, the device includes a yoke 6 consisting of two transversely spaced parallel arcuate opening-bridging members i, l, rigidly connected centrally of their ends by a crosspiece 8. The memhers I extend around the inwardly projecting portion of the dished fixture 4 and terminate at both ends in outturned feet 9 adapted to bear flat against the inner side of the wall portion I at the edge of the opening 3 in opposing relation to the marginal flange 5 of the fixture. ll'he dished portion of the fixture is outwardly spaced from the yoke 6 and the two are drawn toward each other and firmly engaged in clamping relation to the wall portion l marginally of the opening by screws I 0 inserted through apertures in the bottom of the dished portion of the plate and threaded into the respective bridging members I of the yoke. Each member l is strengthened against springing by one or more longitudinally extending flanges II.

The yoke 6 and screws lll provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive fastening means for a dished wall fixture and this means is of a form to permit it to be easily inserted through a receiving wall opening 3 while loosely attached to a plate and to then be drawn firmly against the inner side of the wall portion 1 in opposition to the plate flange 5 by a tightening of the screws iii. A fixture may be set in a very small fraction of the time required with conventional plaster methods, and the resulting setting is much stronger. In use, the fixture and yoke are assembled loosely by the screws in. While so connected, the yoke is slipped through the wall opening in a tipped position and brought to the proper vertical seating position. While held in this position, the screws H! are tightened to the point where only a small amount of play exists between the wall and fixture. The final adjustment can then be made so that the fixture is properly set vertically and horizontally, and while held in adjusted position the screws may be tightened to complete the clamping engagement of the parts with the inner and outer surfaces of the wall.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited lac-any specific construction; arrangement or formof the parts, as. it is capableof numerous.

modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claim.

Having thus described my invention,.,what 1, claim as new, and desire to secure by'United' States Letters Patent, is:

An attaching means for, a, dishedi fixtures spaced parallel arcuate members for bridging the openingaround the: dished portion of the inserted fixture in spaced relation .thereto and also having, a, cross-piece; rigidly connecting said members substantially centrally of; theirends,. said ends having outturned feet for resting against the inner marginal edge wall of said opening in opposition to said marginal flange of the fixture, and screw means connecting the fixture and yoke and operable from the outside of the fixture to draw its flange firmly against the edge wall of the opening in opposition to the yoke, said yoke being insertablethrough the opening-when the fixture and yokeare loosely connectedv by. the screw means.

HAROLD M. KNOCH.

REFERENCES CITED Thea-ioliowingreferences are of record in the file oftjthis; patent:

UNITED- STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,428,902 Porter Sept. 12, 1922 1,662,422 Hodges Mar. 13, 1928 2.297,8.62, Bachmann Oct. 6, 1942 2,456,903? Versen Dec. 21', 1948 2,514,176 Borkowski July 4,1950 

